I Reject Quests

"..." Rewen's face was one that he couldn't believe what was being said. "T-this…"

Ikeda raised his hands and approached Rewen. "Do you know why I'm saying this to you?"

Rewen shook his head with a confused look.

Ikeda stopped after getting near to him. "You are from the Central, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"A Noble on top of that."

"Yes."

"Do you have the capability to help my son?" By the end of his question, Ikeda's voice quivered. Even so, his back was straight and his eyes looked straight at Rewen.

Rewen didn't answer immediately. He went near the boy sleeping on the bed, Ryu, and sighed. "How many days does he have?"

"Three days! He has three days left! Could you do something?" Mrs. Terio tightly grabbed his hands. When knowing that her son would possibly be dead in three days, how could her mental state be right?

Rewen didn't mind and sat on the bed. "Three days, huh…" He paused, before continuing with a bitter smile. "My name is Arai Atsushi."

"Arai Atsushi… from the Atsushi Family!?" Ikeda was overjoyed at the revelation.

Standing at the back, Hase was also shocked and re-evaluated the young man in front of him. 

Mrs. Terio cried tears of joy.

Seeing the situation develop in this way, Rewen's smile went even more bitter. "Listen to me first. Do you know how long it would take to travel from here to Central?"

Ikeda's body went stiff. After a few seconds, he answered. "I'll arrange Sealing Gruer Users to connect the two locations. It would be very expensive but as long as my boy is saved, nothing else matters."

Mrs. Terio nodded enthusiastically. "Child, please do this one favor for our family."

Rewen sighed. "I'm the infamous child of the Atsushi Family. I'm sorry. Even if I beg them for help, they wouldn't agree. Let alone him, even if I had Nirvana's Break, they wouldn't do anything."

"W-why wouldn't they? Aren't you their family?" Ikeda's footsteps staggered as he fell backward. He was a Silver-ranked Gruer User but even he couldn't maintain his composure when he discovered that his son's future was doomed.

Mrs. Terio's eyes turned dark and fainted.

Hase bent down to help his Uncle. "Uncle, have you not heard of the infamous child from the Atsushi Family?"

"I didn't," Ikeda said in a hoarse voice.

Hase simply took out his phone and showed him the matter.

Ikeda read it with half-closed eyes. A few seconds later, he got up and approached Rewen with a grim face. 

All of a sudden, he grabbed Rewen's collar and threw him out of the room. "Aren't you ashamed to be freeloading at my place?" His voice was grave and filled with anger.

Rewen watched Ikeda slowly turning into a different person and no expression on his face. He wasn't exactly hurt so he comfortably stood up and started walking towards his room.

"Wait." Hase's voice came from behind. "Don't mind Uncle's words. He is just angry."

"It's fine." Rewen faintly smiled. "I have somewhere to go anyways."

Hase's face relaxed when he heard the first part of the sentence but when he heard the next, his face twisted. "Rewen, don't be foolish. You have nowhere to go."  He tried persuading him to stay.

"Are you sure that I have nowhere to go?" Rewen asked with a smile.

"There are but comfort is also a factor."

"I feel like I would feel much more comfortable there. By the way, what did Mrs. Terio asked you when you and I entered the room?" Rewen remembered an important matter.

"That… was our last try in saving Ryu. I'm sure you have heard of a legendary artifact that was in the Forest of Michaile, right? Uncle consulted the King regarding this matter and the King stated the only way Ryu can be saved is upon having the mysterious artifact."

"After winning, did you ask for the mysterious artifact as a reward?"

"I did. However, I was denied." Hase's eyes were cold.

"Why didn't you try to find the artifact on your own?"

"You think I didn't try?"

"Right, sorry."

***

Next day.

It was afternoon.

The Terio Villa was as quiet as ever.

Rewen packed up his essentials and left the villa without notifying anyone.

After that, he went to Hase's Potion Shop.

"Good afternoon." He greeted Hase who was cleaning his shop.

"You are still dead set on going on your own? I could provide you shelter, y'know. My shop is almost-"

"I have decided, Brother." For the first time, Rewen changed his address from "Hase" to "Brother" because no matter what the reason, he was rather overwhelmed by the goodwill shown by him.

Hase smiled and patted his shoulder. "Fine, I won't stop you. Where are you going though?"

"I plan to join the Homeless Association for the time being. I heard that the military is recruiting. Maybe I'll become a mercenary or something."

"I'm telling you one last time. Your idea isn't the best for your safety."

"I know but I have to do it. You know my condition. I'll die after five months anyways." Running away and hiding in this nation wouldn't save him. If he didn't come on the appointed day of the duel, the family would send men in his search. It wouldn't take a single day for him to be captured and killed on the spot.

"In that case, farewell!" 

"Goodbye." With a smile on his face, Rewen walked away.

As he began walking, that smile faded, replaced by a gloomy look. 'This is bad. I have lost the only shelter I had. I also don't have too many coins. These coins are barely enough to rent a room for a month.'

[If you are this worried, why did you even leave the villa in the first place? Did Ikeda's words hurt your pride?]

Rewen's eyes were cold. He had no mood to talk with the system. He, in fact, didn't leave because of Ikeda's words.

[Oh! I know why you left. You left because you felt guilty right?]

"Shut up." Rewen's voice was low but it contained anger.

[I won't. What are you going to do about it? If only you accepted your own mentality, your mind state wouldn't be this unstable. After reading the second volume, you unhesitatingly consumed the Black Orb despite knowing how precious it was for the Terio Family. Don't get me wrong. I liked the fact that you did what you did but if you are going to do something, do it so that you don't have any regrets.]

'There is no such thing as no regrets. The Terio Family gave me shelter and I'm grateful for that but in my mind, my personal gain tops the gratitude.'

Before joining the River Alliance, Rewen found that the so-called "Legendary Artifact" was a Black Orb. In the original story, Arai unknowingly got swept into the battle between the Princess and Miscellaneous Alliance. Later, he found the Black Orb and by the end of the volume gave the Black Orb to Ryu.

[How much longer are you going to cry about it? Face yourself. You aren't as righteous as you thought. Recognize your flaws and improve yourself.]

'Yeah and pretend like I had nothing to do with Ryu's death. Sorry, I know my priorities but I'm not at the level of being heartless. Anyways, I want to go back. Use two [Return Tickets] at once.'